2008 Spring TV Preview: Step It Up And Dance

Step It Up & Dance - Season 1Premieres: Thursday, April 3, at 11:00 p.m. ESTNetwork: Bravo Creator(s): Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth and Gunnar WetterbergStarring: Elizabeth Berkley (host), Jerry Mitchell, Vincent Paterson, and Nancy O’MearaWebsite: Bravo.com
This new Bravo reality competition series features 12 aspiring dancers as they compete against each other for a grand prize of $100,000. The contestants will work with top notch choreographers as they learn various routines. The series is hosted by Saved By The Bell and Showgirls star, Elizabeth Berkley. The judges consist of choreographers Vincent Paterson (Madonna’s “Blonde Ambition” Tour, Michael Jackson’s “Bad” Tour) and Nancy O’Meara (“Hanna Montana,” “High School Musical Tour”). Jerry Mitchell (“Hairspray,” “Legally Blonde”) will mentor the dancers. Below is the list of contestants:

Bravo’s got the right idea. This series seems like an obvious rip-off of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, but at least Bravo’s not trying to air Step It Up while So You Think You Can Dance is on the air. Bravo seems to have a knack for the reality series and the three judges in this show certainly seem qualified enough, given their listed credits. Plus Jesse Spano is hosting, so there’s that. The only major downside to this series from what I can tell is that it airs at 11 p.m. (EST). Seriously Bravo, what’s that all about? This’ll probably be a show for the DVR.